Reviews by GoreStorm:

A - golden yellow with a big puffy head that fills the remainder of the glass. the head stays around for some time but eventually diminshes to about a 1/8th inch and towards the bottom of the glass a moderate lacing.

S - it's very rare that i get an immediate scent trigger from a beer that reminds me of something very specific. of course, with IPA's you're going to have the floral hop nose, but this reminded me instantly of the honeysuckle that covers the fences in my mothers garden.

T - now, i usually don't care for pale ales, but this is quite nice, the flavor of the hops and the bitterness is obviously there, but unlike a lot of pales, i don't feel like i've just drank a beer that was laced with hairspray and perfume. there is a light caramel malt going on as well. decently long bitter finish.

M - crisp and clean.

D - the 7.5 alcohol is deceptive, it doesn't come through like a 7.5 to me but more like a 5.5, i could drink several of these in spite of not caring for IPA's

Notes - i'm impressed, firestone has officially earned my respect, i don't like pales, or beers with high hops usually, so i'd say this is a pretty good beer. maybe i'm wrong but i'd say it's best for a beer to appeal to a wider audience rather than just to hop freaks.

More User Reviews:

Bright and clear brassy amber color, dense foam forms from a even, moderate pour and the lacing is absolutely amazing with rings all the way down the glass. Massive grapefruit aroma from the hops, slightly pungent and very aromatic. Full-bodied and very smooth. Heavy-handed hop character pounds the taste buds with flavor, bitterness comes in a with a moderate sharpness and lets the flavors unfold from citric zest to botanical to pungent citric rind. There is a thickness of malt underneath with a solid kernel of sweetness and toasted biscuit, but this is all more or less trumped by the hops. Small fume of alcohol with clean esters that throw a little bit of mango and papaya fruitiness in the mix.

This beer is bordering Double IPA territory, which is not a bad thing, though it is a pretty sizable American IPA and is an absolute must for all of the hopheads out there.

Big thanks to Wowcoolman for hooking me up with some nice Firestone Walker wants, including this one. Union Jack pours with very nice clarity; it's kind of got a median amber color, but ranges from bright, golden yellow to deeper, ruby-brown depending on the intensity of the light shining through it at the moment. The three-finger, off-white cream cap is slow to sink and leaves sick lacing all the way down. Fantastic looking beer.

"Pungent" is probably the best word to describe the aroma of the hop bill in Union Jack. Loads and loads of dank hop oils; weedy, spicy, earthy, herbal. The dank is equally matched with shining grapefruit and tangerine aromas - bitter, tangy, and raw. Despite what many other people say, I felt the malt presence in the aroma was quite high and noticeable; big-time toasted bread notes from start to finish. The bottling date was only about 7 weeks ago, so it's definitely not old.

The flavor follows through with what the nose was promising, although unfortunately I feel that it does so half-heartedly. There's a big, up-front smash of earthy, dirty, and pungent hops including light pine and oily resins. There's also a good bit of citrus peels, less discernible on the palate, however. Some light pepper seems to be sprinkled over everything, too. I mean, I like the taste, but for some reason it doesn't seem as "standoutish" as the aroma did.

Malts are a bit heavier on the palate, I'd say, displaying substantial amounts of sweet bread and toasted crackers. Hard to tell exactly what types of malts were used thanks to the large color gradient, but I'm not getting anything as dark as caramel malt in here. Warming brings out a slight booziness, even at only 7.5% ABV, that I'm somewhat hesitant but forced to identify it with nail polish remover. It never gets overwhelming, though, but it wouldn't be missed if it were gone.

Solid body for an IPA, medium, slick, and toying on the edge of being sticky. Carbonation was on-point, too. Much like Double Jack, I feel this is a bit overrated for what it is, albeit it's still marvelously crafted. They (obviously) have similar hop flavors, so perhaps this particular bill and schedule doesn't completely vibe with my palate. In any case, it was still a very enjoyable IPA.

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Canned on 4/24/15, so it's a little over four months old. Hopefully some of the hop flavors have still held up. With that in mind, I'll review this beer with a grain of salt and re-review if I can find it fresher.

SMELL: Yes! I can still smell hops. Actually, even for its age this smells delicious. Orange peel and toasted caramel maltiness meets sweet apricot, peach, and pineapple aromas. Yum!

TASTE: Very nice. A nice balance of citrus and tropical fruits with a steady but never overpowering malt backbone. Imagine a mix of Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Sculpin. That's how this tastes. Tangerine and grapefruit juice upfront, toasted malt and caramel in the middle, followed by apricot, mango, peach, and pineapple, and then finishes with grapefruit pith, bitter pineapple, and light pine. Sweet and juicy, balanced with just enough bitterness. I would kill to get this fresh!

Pretty darn close to a perfect beer, in my book. Excellent hops with an amazing balance. This is the IPA that could convert a great many people to try more IPA's. Firestone has made some fine beers over the years and this one is right up there with their best.

Overall, it looks like a pretty standard IPA. Has no stand-out characteristics. Certainly not unique or special.

AROMA: Rather plain, actually. Pale malts, floral hop character, some untoward tropical fruit character. Hints of resins and hop oils. Hop bitterness is obnoxiously untamed, and rather forward at the expense of balance. Hints of soapiness and detergent off-character don't do this any favours. Slightly bready, with notes of vague fruitcake and sweetbread. Really quite simple.

Aromatic intensity is average. It's a soft aroma which doesn't assault the drinker, but it's just so...derivative?

No yeast character or overt alcohol is detectable (to style).

TASTE/TEXTURE: Rampant obnoxious hop bitterness runs rampant throughout the flavour profile, made worse by the beer's dragging coarse scratchy rough feel, which grates against the palate. The texture is just irritating - and stale to boot. The simple taste is comprised of generic pale malts, some uninteresting tropical fruit notes, and mundane floral hop character. Fundamental imbalance (particularly between malt sweetness and hop bitterness) makes this brew hard to enjoy.

Has a shallow depth of flavour. Average flavour intensity and duration. Poor flavour amplitude. There isn't any real complexity/intricacy, nuance, or subtlety to speak of. The ingredients clash, the choices of hops are poor, and the malt backbone is inadequate. It's a bit of a mess, and has a chaotic unguided overall feel. I struggle to enjoy it.

Additionally, it's overcarbonated and unrefreshing. Not a gestalt build for an IPA by any means. It just never feels like a cohesive whole.

OVERALL: I continue to be perplexed by the hullabaloo surrounding Firestone Walker - at least in terms of their hoppy offerings. This is - at best - a forgettable IPA with no characteristics that would lead the discerning drinker to regard it as world-class. A good beer of any style requires balance, but Firestone Walker has opted to disregard that axiom in favour of assaulting the drinker with an obnoxious loud hop bitterness that will only please adherents to the childish notion that more substantial hop content, higher IBUs, and maximal perceived bitterness are characteristics indicative of quality. IPA brewing is not a dicksizing competition to see who can pack more hop essence into a liquid; it's a craft which requires careful attention to balance and subtlety. This beer industry equivalent of the Loudness War has to stop.

Appearance - This is a delicious-looking clear but heavy orange body with a nice, retentive white head that even left some lacing on the inside of my pint glass.

Smell - The rich, orange-flavored hops are big and heavy. I can pick up a solid sweetish malt base but it's the orange and to some extent pine hops that lead this beautiful bouquet.

Taste - This one is full of flavor. The hops make a magnificent transition from nose to tongue bringing out a massive array of huge hop flavors without being too bitter or harsh and the sweetness from the malts is a perfect compliment.

Mouthfeel - This is a solid medium-bodied ale that is bitter but not punishingly so and just enough carbonation to keep you interested.

Drinkability - This is both big and quaffable at the same time. The balance is superb yet the hopheads will relish the flavors. This is a winner for sure.

My absolute favorite IPAs, as found at the source. Very clear body, fluffy white head. Aroma is a mixture of pine, grapefruit, a touch of malt. Forward bitterness that lingers throughout but is not over powering. Some sweetness in the mid mouth then finished super dry. An amazing beer.

I've been waiting to try this one for a while, and finally got it thanks to a great trader womencantsail.

A: Pours into my giant oversized snifter with a light 1/2 finger head covering of nice fluffy head that fades slowly. It's a very clear pale orange color.

N: A very nice nose. Lots of fresh hop aromas, some fresh wet hops, chewy hops, some pine, a little citrus, and after that comes some nice light malt aromas.

T: A nice chewy bitter hop taste to start. Some pine and a little citrus. The piny flavors seem to increase as it goes. A little fresh wet hop earthy hops, but not much. Some nice lightly sweet malt flavors. A great chewy hop and some juicy hops. A hint of vanilla. Reminds me a lot of two headed.

M: Decent body but a little lighter, good carbonation.

F: Somewhat bitter and gets a little more bitter on the finish. Some pale bitterness and spicy hops. A little juicy hop flavor and some sweet juices lingering. Some malts stick with it too. The bitterness lingers for a long time. This is easily becoming one of my fav IPAs. I'm glad I got a 6-pack, and I'm thinking about putting this into my regular trading schedule. Thanks a ton Andrew.

One of the best IPA's that doesn't require standing in a 2 hour line at some out of the way brewery. Typical west coast style IPA but one that has a lot working for it. Nice lacing and aroma with hints of grapefruit, orange and slight pine. A smooth drinkable IPA with a slight bitter finish. Glad this is a beer I can find in my area almost anytime I look for it.

The aroma has a punch of citrus peel, orange, pine, a big sweet caramel malt and breadiness.

The flavor hits of grapefruit and floral throughout with a medium bitterness. There's a bready malt backbone, with a bitterness of orange and grapefruit peel on the back. The finish has a gentle pine needle, leaving a medium lingering bitterness.

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass bottled 7.15.15
was a bit worried when i saw the bottle date but this was a great beer!
pours golden with a thick white head that faded very slowly and left a lot of lace on the glass
smells of hops citrus and pine also smelled sweeter as it warmed
taste hoppy initially and citrus then sweeter as it warmed similar to the nose with a very slight bitter aftertaste
feel effervescent and crisp with a medium body and slightly viscous feel
overall a pretty darn perfect IPA!

This pours clear and orange and with a fat head of creamy off white foam that fell sticky and left lots of lace. It has a bright nose of orange and sweet honey malt. Bit of pink grapefruit on the nose just under the orange for a delightful ripe citrus nose. The malt is light and sweet with a graceful honey. It's not terribly cluttered with lots of scents. Ripe orange fills it up and a little pine in the background. Faint bit of spice . Taste is crisp clean and delicious. Ripe juicy and delicious orange. A nice hop bitter that is not too loud and a graceful caramel malt that is sticky but not weighed down. As it warms the malt sweetens to an icy sugary goodness. A bit of sticky pine resin to coat the throat with the bitter and leaves with a crisp ripe whole fruit feel , pith and all. The mouthfeel is supple and smooth and full of ripe and juicy fruit. Just tremendous! This one is so simple it defies you not to like it.

BOD 11/6/15. Clear golden pour with a hint of amber. World class head volume, lacing and retention.

World class nose of massive hops - citrus, tropical and dank. Grapefruit, pineapple, orange, mango and finally a subtle earthy bit of dank with a touch of spicy spruce. Underneath the hop blanket lies a whiff of biscuit.

Medium bodied with a rich oily and creamy texture. Perfect carbonation with a nice effervescent middle and a finely bubbled prickly finish.

The flavor profile is world class. Balance is perfect. Hop flavor is the theme here with a mild bitterness that is quite complex. All aspects of the nose appear. Tropicals lead over a subtle sweetness then flow into the rind components and showcase orange. A slightly bitter middle is balanced with a slightly stronger sweetness (biscuit plus a bit of caramel). As the middle fades, a slight dank hop flavor takes the forefront. The finish is remarkably clean for such an intensely complex ale. As it fades, a slight spicy note arrives. This one is a brewers masterpiece.

Served in straight pint glass. Poured a clean and clear golden amber with about an inch of slightly off white head that dissipated very quickly and left more than moderate lacing.

A floral hop aroma, backed with some pine, hits the nose upfront. The malt that , by definition, must be in beer has no presence. Yup, you guessed it, the flavors are dominantly pine and flowers.

Body and drinkability are average for the style. Overall, while this is a very enjoyable beer, I've now had a couple and look forward to more, it's just your basic California IPA. Very tasty, worth having several of, but does not stand away from the pack.

Honey with a large splash of orange juice. The head is polished ivory in color and features loads of sticky bubbles on its upper surface. As those bubbles burst, they leave a delicate array of lace-like lace all over the upper reaches of the glass. A classic look.

And an outstanding nose! There goes any thought that Union Jack is an English IPA. So why the name? The hop bill (Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Columbus) is 100% American and the sheer amount of hoppiness is AIPA all the way. Talk about a fantastically bright, perfectly pungent, fresh hop-like nose. Prediction: this is going to be great beer.

That was way too easy. As expected, Union Jack is full-to-bursting with C-hop goodness. Can't forget the Simcoe (S-hop), since they give the flavor profile a distinctly tropical vibe that adds yet another dimension. Killer hop bill. Absolutely killer. It's also nice to see that the brewery didn't allow the little green cones to outpace their malt support.

There's just enough of a barely toasted, caramel maltiness (think SN Celebration Ale) to let the drinker know that hops aren't the only ingredient that's allowed to provide flavor. The good thing is that the caramel doesn't get in the way of the grapefruit, bitter orange and pineapple explosion. 72 IBUs seems about right, but they're a friendly 72.

The mouthfeel stays well within the bounds of the IPA style. Any bigger and it wouldn't work as well. It's as smooth as glass and is lightly creamy in the bargain. Soft-edged carbonation is pretty much perfect.

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. has another winner with Union Jack India Pale Ale. Forget the British flag, though. This beer is Stars And Stripes Forever and is proud of it. I could (and would) drink this stuff by the case if it was available locally.

O: A big West Coast IPA that is very well balanced despite having as much alcohol as Olde English 800. Very delicious and goes down quick. One of my go to beers. It's got everyday-beer distribution here in Portland, so it's a good option for those of us who can't always get to a bottle shop to find other famous IPAs. I've never had Heady Topper but I bet a lot of Vermont drinkers have never had this. 4.7/5.

Best IPA I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. One sniff and you know right away you're about to drink true greatness. To the best of my knowledge, only Ale Smith can brew IPAs of this quality. And this IPA leaves every Ale Smith IPA in the dust. Quite simply: This is the IPA of our dreams, realized and brewed to perfection. And I'm a DogfishHead 60" IPA guy.:)

I have wanted to try this for awhile,glad to get my hands on it.Poured into a standard pint glass a clear medium to full on golden with a thinner but well retained white head.Citric and pine in the nose,I mean just great hop definition,a bit of sweet alcohol as well.The mouthfeel is just a tad thin and prickly but it doesnt take away from the drinkibility really,just me nit picking really.Well balanced with big resiny and citric hop intertwining with a hefty sweet doughy malt base,yeah the hops win out but the malt base holds firm.A great Cali IPA the hops are huge but its not totally unbalanced.